News and Updates
How can we help you to use the Strengthening Parental Relationships (SPR) resources with families?
Since October, 226 multi agency practitioners across Hampshire have attended training either with OnePlusOne or Jude, from Relate about Strengthening Parental Relationships. It can be a challenge sometimes to implement activities from training- however inspired you are on the day of the training, going back into a busy front-line role can make it difficult to introduce something new… then when you do identify a family who would really benefit from the SPR interventions, the training can feel like a distant memory.
Thank you to the practitioners who took the time to complete the survey about the SPR offer and training needs. We are in the process of developing two new E-learning modules: Talking to parents abut their relationships; and: Distinguishing between Parental Conflict and Domestic Abuse
We have also delivered a number of Q&A sessions, which have proved to be a great way for practitioners to drop in and find out about the SPR interventions and discuss ideas for using these to support their work. We plan to continue to offer regular SPR Q&A sessions, dates below. At these sessions, we can go over how to access the universal offer, the referral process for the High Intensity Expert Provision, hear your feedback and answer any questions you have. These are open to all practitioners, whether you have attended training or not.
Please share this information with your colleagues / networks. Included below is a summary of the interventions on offer.
To book a place, please email spr@hants.gov.uk
Follow up workshops with Jude from Relate: limited spaces available for booking now
As part of the SPR training offer, Relate are providing 4 x 2 hour workshops for practitioner who have attended the training. These sessions will provide an opportunity to discuss ways to apply the knowledge and skills from the training to your work. Please find attached slide with further information. Dates and booking link below:
Dates available:
- Monday March 18th 3.30-5.30pm
- Tuesday April 2nd 9-11am
- Thursday April 11th 9-11am
To book a place, complete the MS Form: https://forms.office.com/e/Gk1qECAMsT
SPR Interventions
Universal offer: OnePlusOne Digital Interventions
These are the courses: You, me and baby too, Arguing better & Getting it right for children, there is also bonus material on debt and relationships.
Each month we receive an update from OnePlusOne telling us how many parents and practitioners have registered to use the digital interventions and how many course are being completed. To date, 208 of you, practitioners have registered to use the Practitioner Guide and you have successfully enabled 304 parents to register, with 194 parents actually using the interventions. Thank you!
You may be aware, we have extended the licence for these interventions to August 2025. We hope the Q&A sessions will help practitioners begin to use these more often with families. If you’ve not had the chance to look at the interventions, please register for a Practitioner guide (link below) where you will have access to the course content, facilitation notes; promotional items and evidence.
Introduction (oneplusone.org.uk)
High Intensity Expert Provision: Mediation, Couple Support and family Counselling
Hampshire County Council have procured a limited number of spaces for Mediation / Couple Support and Family Counselling. This service is for families who are experiencing harmful parental conflict and require high intensity, expert provision. This service is available to families from across Hampshire County Council area.
Full details available here: Practitioners – Hampshire SCP
If you have any questions about Strengthening Parental Relationships, you can contact Emma, SPR Coordinator: spr@hants.gov.uk
Why RPC matters
Conflict between parents is normal, but if exposure is frequent, intense and poorly resolved, this can have a damaging impact on children, resulting in long-term mental health issues and emotional, social, behavioural and academic problems as they grow up.
The ability of local parenting services to help children is likely to be reduced if damaging parental conflict is left unresolved.
Supporting healthy relationships among parents of children with behaviours that challenge:
A practical guide
Currently, little attention is paid to how parental conflict affects the lives of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in the UK. This practical guide from the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) has been developed to improve understanding of how risk factors among parents of children with behaviours that challenge can impact on parental conflict and in turn on child outcomes, how to effectively engage these parents, what evidence-based support can be offered, and how to appropriately assess progress for these families.
Research suggests that parents of children with behaviours that challenge might experience higher levels of parental stress. Parental stress is associated with a higher risk of relationship distress and conflict, which in turn can affect outcomes for children. The scale and impact of this is likely to vary for children with different conditions and with different levels of support.
*‘Behaviours that challenge’ refers to persistent behaviours which indicate a child’s distress and often require additional care from family members, friends and school staff. These behaviours can vary from becoming withdrawn to becoming physically aggressive and can be manifested by all children. However, children with neurodevelopmental difficulties and conditions can face additional barriers in having their needs met, which can result in more frequent distress and consequently more frequent behaviours that challenge. Barriers include a lack of reasonable adaptations, negative societal beliefs about neurodiversity, and a lack of access to appropriate support.
It’s all about Language…
Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) research Officer Simiran Motiani introduces the EIF guide to support practitioners in local areas to effectively engage in conversations with families about the sensitive topic of parental conflict. This short guide provides practical tips for talking to all families, including the importance of avoiding jargon, using inclusive language, acknowledging personal experiences, and knowing when to apologise.
Talking with families about parental relationships EIF
Workplace Taboo Research
Personal relationship stress: The last workplace taboo Research shows that there is a significant link between the quality of our personal relationships and our productivity and output at work.
Talking to employees about such a personal topic can be a tricky one to navigate and has often been seen as taboo.
Relationship Conversations
OnePlusOne provide free courses for parents in Hampshire to help with reducing conflict. They have also provided these helpful tips for employers and Managers:
5 Tips for Relationship Conversations | The Happiness Index
For a useful leaflet summary of this, download OnePlusOne tips for how managers can reach out to employees during times of personal relationship stress.